Mexico
Although many people just go for the beaches, Mexico offers impressive mountain
vistas (pictured in Puerto Vallarta), great food, and historic ruins that compete
with the best in the world. Begin Your Journey!

Barbados
This Caribbean island has hints of British culture, but is wholly Caribbean as well.
Explore Barbados!

Social Life in the Bahamas

Behavior

The Bahamians are conservative in most aspects of their lives and this is best seen
in their behaviors, dress, and dining etiquette. They tend to dress and act conservatively,
much of which is based on their deeply rooted Christian faith. However, there is
also great variety in the way the Bahamians behave as the country is quite diverse
ethnically.

As a visitor to the Bahamas try to follow the lead of
the locals by dressing conservatively (see below for details), dining in the local
etiquette (see our Bahamas Dining &
Food Page), and avoid sensitive conversation topics, such as politics, finances,
and business unless initiated by your local counterpart. Also try to avoid being
loud, rude, showing off wealth, or getting noticeably drunk in public.

The clothing in the Bahamas is generally light, loose-fitting, and brightly colored
and this hasn't changed much over time. As an island chain that has a relatively
short history, there is little in the way of traditional or historical clothing.
What is seen today is similar to what has been worn for much of the past century
or two. For women this generally means sun dresses made from lightweight materials
and every bright color one can think of in multiple patterns and styles. For men
simple loose-fitting shirts and pants or shorts are the norm, which can also be
colorful, but tend to be toned down a bit from the clothing of the women.

As a visitor to the Bahamas there is little expectation that you dress up. Many
visitors only go to the Bahamas for the country's many beaches and hot weather
so dressing in little clothing is common. However, swimwear should remain on the
beaches; even if you are just dining at a restaurant on the beach or shopping at
stands within sight of the beach it is best to put on a shirt, shorts, and shoes.
Of course in most places this is as formal as it gets, but in business settings
and in churches long pants and shirts should be worn.